Making a difference, one child at a time.

U16 Cambodian Female Football Team – (Nov 2010)

After 4 months preparation which in itself was a logistical exercise for ISF/SALT, 22 young ladies were ready to embark on the trip of a lifetime, 7 days of football and social interactions in Singapore. None of this could have happened without fantastic support from sponsors:

  • Margot Marks, Craig Coutts, Mario Saeg and all the staff, parents and children of UWC East, Singapore who
    provided accommodation, food, social activities, fundraising, transport, chaperones and much more.
  • Ulli and John from Asia Pacific Sports Management, Singapore who coordinated football games.
  • Jamie Richards, Force 9 International, Indonesia, who designed and donated the teams football kit and tour uniform; the girls looked very professional.
  • Barclays Capital, Singapore, who provided funding for air tickets.

    • Singapore Tour
    The tour started on a low note when on the morning the girls were to fly out, Sam Schweingruber, our head coach discovered his passport had been stolen. Shannon Hiller, a volunteer who was coaching our goalkeepers was promoted and all the support staff rallied to try and minimise the loss of the girls’ mentor.

    The playing timetable was intense with games against:

  • Singapore U16 National team. A 2-1 win to Singapore showed how far Sam had developed the team in a short timeframe. The game itself was very enjoyable, 90 minutes of non-stop action in very humid conditions. Spectators from both sides marvelled at the level of football; it was a credit to both teams.
  • A 2-1 win against the Singapore American School was well deserved, both teams played the game competitively and in good sporting spirit.
  • The squad played exhibition games against UWC Dover and the International Soccer Academy which allowed the younger and less experienced players a chance to show their skills and was a great comfort that Cambodian women’s football had a depth of talent.
  • On Saturday 27 November, the squad participated in a 7-a-side tournament made up of eight teams and was played at UWC Dover grounds. The Cambodian teams finished first and third and it was a fitting finish to a wonderful week both on and off the football field. It was so enjoyable to see how the whole squad participated in the victory celebrations and photos, it was an excellent reward for all the hard work put in by everyone associated with the tour.

    • Off the field, the team was a big hit wherever they were invited and as the week ticked over, parents and sponsors commented regularly on what a delightful group of girls they were; smiling, singing, playing games, just making the most of the opportunities offered to them.

    Activities the girls participated in included:

  • UWC East
    - One player per class

    Movember

    Movember!

    - Art class – a big hit!
    - Music recitals
    - Dinner with various student and parent groups
    - Lunchtime football
    - The Movember breakfast was outrageous
    - Movie night
    - Circus skills night with Louis

  • The bird park
  • The zoo
  • Sentosa Island
  • 10 pin bowling at the American Club
  • A train ride and a walk down Orchid Road to see all the shops decorated for Christmas
  • Hawkers market
  • Post match functions
    • YouTube Preview Image

    Chheun Nypha (Team Captain) and Leang Srey Peuw represented the team at UWC Dover’s School assemblies, where the girls were asked a number of questions by the students. The most memorable moment was when Nypha was asked what impact football had made in her life; she considered the question and then stated:
    “before football, I did not smile a lot. I have played football for 3 years and have smiled a lot for 3 years”.

    In addition to the sponsors, thank you to:

  • Sue Edwards and UWC Dover
  • Sodexo, the caterers at UWC East
  • Jita Singh, Zhen and Suzanna from the Football Federation of Singapore
  • Mark Forgeron, Singapore American School
  • Ismail from International School Academy
  • Joe Keiser, ANZA Soccer
  • May Tola and the Football Federation of Cambodia

    • and everyone else associated with this tour.

    Going forward, ISF/SALT are looking towards organising “in bound” tours in 2011 and hopefully Joe Keiser will invite us to send an U14 female team to play in the South East Asia Cup in February 2012. Off the field, there is a lot of vocational development opportunities which Craig Coutts from UWC East has generously offered to support us in establishing a sustainable development program.

    Phnom Penh Post article – 19Nov10
    South East Asia Weekly article – 21Nov10
    Phnom Penh Post article – 19Nov10